19
from the Alpine Convention. Since 1999, the Commission of the European Community
has not attended the Standing Committee meetings. Nor did it attend the Alpine
Conference in autumn 2000 68 . The Commission gives two reasons for the Community's
lack of participation: First, it invokes "budgetary and human resource limitations" 69 ,
second, it considers that this "has to be seen together with the fact that the subsidiarity
principle plays a major role as far as the implementation of the Alpine Convention and
its Protocols is concerned. In fact, in a regional context, action by national and local
governments can be more effective than action at Community level." 70
Following more recent developments, the Commission wants to contribute again more
actively to the Alpine Convention process. Thus, a Commission representative was
again present at the last Alpine Conference in autumn 2002 71 . It remains to be seen
whether this new approach will have any influence on the pending ratification process
regarding the Transport Protocol. However, Germany, currently chairing the Alpine
Convention, holds the signature and the ratification of the Transport Protocol by all
contracting parties, especially by the Community, as one of the main objectives of its
presidency until November 2004 72 .
Recently, the European Parliament took position in this field, too, and pointed out very
clearly that the "early ratification [of the Transport Protocol] by the European Union is
desirable." 73
68 G. Streicher, "Die Alpenkonvention - (K)ein Thema der EU?". (2001) 3 EUropa-Info - Deis Magazin
des EU-Umweltbiiros 11.
69 See supra, note 61.
70 Answer given by Commissioner Margot Wallstrom on 3 September 2001 regarding the written
parliamentary questions E-1951/01 and E-1952/01 submitted by Johannes Swoboda on 3 July 2001. OJ C
40 E. 14 February 2002. p.148.
71 See supra, note 38.
72 Agenda 2003-2004 of the German Presidency of the Alpine Convention, available at: http://www.alp
media, net/pdf/1 Opunkte_alpenkonvention_d.pdf.
73 See supra, note 20. p.13.